Hi, guys!
I am joyful! I am joyful, people! I just don't even know how to start this letter except to say that I love life. I know that you guys were probably wondering all week how my first week with a new companion was going. I will now tell you how it went: Wonderfully. I didn't just survive it, but I loved it. In fact, I just had one of the best weeks of my life.
Soeur Teriierooieterai (I spell it different every time, I still haven't memorized how it actually goes) is just one of the biggest blessings from heaven that I've ever received. She just popped into this area and brought in a fresh breath of air. She is a fantastic missionary. This has been one of the best weeks because I have not stopped learning and progressing for even one minute, and I love it. We have had some really, really cool conversations. She is from the actual island of Tahiti, and she is a basketball player. Turns out that if you play basketball, you immediately know everyone.
Beautiful moments of my week:
- Feeling actual, real humility.
- Teaching a lesson to the prettiest little old lady. Her name is Vahine, and she speaks Tahitian. She lives by herself, and she feeds herself from her own garden. Every time we see her, her clothes are covered in mud because she has been out in the garden working. She is seventy five years old. Yesterday we had a powerful moment when we showed her the picture of Christ's baptism and talked to her about being baptized. Of course I wasn't understanding much of the conversation, but I watched her closely, and she just examined that picture of Christ in the water so closely. The Spirit was so strong as she just stared at that picture. I asked her, “Would you like to be baptized like Jesus was baptized?” And she answered yes with such sincerity. After her lesson, we got on our bikes and started riding down the road, and what was before us? A big huge rainbow. It made me think of the primary song, I Like to Look For Rainbows, which I sang with Sarah at our baptism. Heavenly Father really does give us tender mercies. He really does create beautiful, perfect moments for us sometimes. Lots of times.
- This week we visited a man who was just about to die. His family was at the home digging his grave outside their house. We went into his little room where he was all hooked up to different IVs and things, and I don't know how to describe the feeling. I've never really been with someone before they die. It's a strange feeling. We just sang him a song and I got to say the prayer. What a special moment to say a prayer to Heavenly Father, knowing that the person next to you will actually be with Him very soon. Things get put in perspective.
- Sr. T brought with her some terrific music. If you haven't listened to the Nashville Tribute album, The Work- you must! I can't stop singing it! It's all about missionary work, and it’s so great! The first song starts with the line, "Children, go where I send thee!" I love being in my little kitchen, sweeping or washing the dishes, and singing that line and thinking about how we really are His children. And I love that He just sent me off to a little island to help some of the other children.
I love being a missionary. Another Nashville Tribute song says, "My soul just wants to start singing!" and that is how I feel! I've had moments this week where my heart just wanted to burst because I was just plain happy. I'm just happy because God is our Father, and the gospel is real. And every single one of us, for the rest of forever, gets to be happy and share happiness and just keep living and living and living.
I love you all so much. Faaitotio!Soeur Mann
